Patient Stories

When he walked, Lamar Baker felt like there was a golf ball stuck under his foot. His doctors initially thought it might be a strain, but further testing led to a shattering diagosis.

Lamar had Multiple Sclerosis. He was only 20 years old.

At first, Lamar was angry. He couldn't believe this had happened to him. After all, life was good for this former high school basketball star. He was pursuing a communications degree and had a young son to care for. As he came to accept the diagnosis, he made the decision that MS was not going define his life. "Why should it?"

"I know this is a degenerative disease. I've struggled with the loss of function. I've had exacerbations that landed me at Kessler's Center for Neurological Rehabilitation both as an inpatient and an outpatient. I need to use a walker and sometimes a wheelchair. But with the support and encouragement I've received, especially from my family and friends, I've found the strength to fight this."

Lamar is fighting not only for himself, but for his son. "He's my world and it's because of him that I strive to get better."

Lamar is diligent about his exercise regimen, excited about promising new medications, and hopeful about the future. He says he'd like to become a national spokesperson for MS. "You have to dream big."